Senior Ladies Slo-Pitch adds two more teams
The Peterborough Senior Ladies Slo-Pitch League has ditched the waiting list and added two new teams this year.
The league now has eight teams, after 17 years of having six on the roster. The league’s season started Wednesday.
For the past two years, there were about 25 women (50 and over) waiting to join.
“That speaks well for the league,” said Jan Watkins, league vice-president.
Though in all fairness, Watkins said the league speaks for itself.
“The league is so fun. It can be competitive, but everybody congratulates everybody for a good hit.”
All eight teams play every Wednesday at George (Red) Sullivan East City Bowl.
Most of the players are from the city and county, but there’s one woman who travels from Bancroft and another from Havelock to play.
Since skill levels vary among players, the league uses a rating system. That way teams are even in calibre. Last year, four teams were within four points of first place, for example.
Some women have been with the league since it started 18 years ago, and many partake in off season activities together, such as bowling, curling or walking.
So when all the ladies get together at East City Bowl on Wednesdays, there’s no shortage of friendly chit chat.
“You see them mingling all over the place,” Watkins said. “As a matter of fact, we have to call them from the bleachers … to come and hit.”
Alva Wakeford, 81, and Marion Longo, 80, are part of the orginial crew.
Wakeford still plays, but Longo has moved on to coaching.
“It’s good exercise. I like the social end of it. And as long as I can put in some sort of a decent type of play, I will,” Wakeford said.
Longo retired from the game about nine years ago, but just couldn’t stay away.
“I just like being around the whole group of girls, they’re a great bunch of girls,” Longo said.
Wakeford played a bit of ball as a teenager, but said things have changed since then.
“That’s when the only people that had a glove was the catcher and first base,” Wakeford said.
Trish Crossman and Deb O’Grady are among the group of new players this year.
The Crossman name, however, has been a part of the league since the get go. Crossman Excavating is the league’s oldest sponsor.
When Crossman turned 50 a few years ago, league players started knocking on her door, but she wasn’t ready.
“I’m just a shy person and it took me that long to say yes,” Crossman said of why she joined this year.
O’Grady used to play at East City Bowl “many decades ago” in the City Women’s Fastball League.
But she’s been playing soccer in recent years, only making the switch now because the field she plays on is under repair.
Being back on the dusty diamond Wednesday felt good, O’Grady said.
“I don’t run as fast as I used to and I don’t hit as far, but it’s still lots of fun,” O’Grady said.